


I'll Make You a Deal

by grimmfairy



Category: The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Barry has some emotional ups and downs, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Romance, Hurt Barry, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, M/M, Major Character Injury, Nightmares, Paralysis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2016-01-10
Packaged: 2018-05-01 13:37:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5207828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimmfairy/pseuds/grimmfairy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Zoom breaks Barry's back, he struggles to come to terms with the possibility that he may never walk again. When someone he never expected catches him in a moment of weakness, he must now learn to lean on someone new even as his friends unite to help him recover and take down Zoom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Stop pouting and go out," Lisa snapped as she barged into the room Len was occupying in their safe house.

"I do not pout," Len said slowly as he carefully reassembled the cold gun from the parts laid out before him. Lisa rolled her eyes and sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning on her eblows to observe her older brother. There was tightness to his eyes that wasn't there unless he was angry-concerned, both emotions at once. And lisa was around ninety percent sure she knew why he was in such a mood.

"Call it what you will, sulking, moping, laying around doing nothing but bait Mick and messing with your little toy. You are _pouting_ , dear brother," Lisa twirled a few strands of hair through her fingers, feigning nonchalance. "Are you still mad that the Flash stood you up last week? And after you broke out of prison just to see him."

"You make it sound like a date," Len slid the last piece into place and turned on the gun, the high-pitched humming filling the room. "We got what we wanted with no interference. it was the perfect heist. I am satisfied, I do not need to get out, nor am I pouting."

"You, dear brother, need to get laid," Lisa said as if she hadn't heard him. 

Len shot her a look, one that promised retaliation if she didn't stop talking, not that Lisa was in any way intimidated by it. Len hadn't been able to scare her with that face for many years. Lisa eventually gave up and left the room with a sigh to find Mick and go over the plan to sell their acquisition one last time. Len did decide he could use a drink, and some time alone. He considered bringing the cold gun, but it seemed too conspicuous for a simple bar run. He decided in the end that he wasn't planning on causing any trouble, and the Flash seemed to be  ~~annoyingly~~ suspiciously absent so he decided to leave the persona behind. 

Of course, before he had developed a pleasant buzz he hadn't planned on causing any trouble.

* * *

_"Caitlin? What's going on?" Barry looked up at his personal doctor. "I can't...I can't feel my legs."_

_"That's to be expected," Caitlin replied in her clipped, clinical tone. Barry tried to sit up, but gentle hands held him down. "Now, now, don't strain yourself."_

_"What happened to my legs?" Barry felt hysterical panic bubbling up in his chest. "Caitlin, what happened?"_

_"It's okay, Barry, just relax," Caitlin said soothingly. "Everything's going to be fine."_

_Barry managed to look down, craning his neck at an uncomfortable angle. Caitlin stood to the side, still smiling that sickly sweet smile she reserved for patients._

_Barry looked at his legs. Or at least, he would have._

_"You weren't going to need them anymore, anyways."_

_Two stumps, stitched with precision, were laid out before him. Barry started to scream._

Barry's eyes snapped open, and he laid still in the dark of Star Labs, on the bed that was too familiar by now, hooked to machines that he couldn't bear to look at anymore. As he woke fully, the dull pain in his spine made itself known and he whimpered. Without thinking, he reached for the glass of water on the bedside table, only to misjudge the distance in his post-nightmare fog and fall out of the bed completely. He hit the floor hard, bringing the table crashing with him. He tried to stand, only to remember that his legs no longer obeyed him.

All alone on the now wet floor, Barry started to cry.

* * *

Len was tired of waiting to see the Flash. No, Barry. Well, he supposed, they were basically the same person. Now was as a good a time as any to stop by Star Labs and leave a note for him. So that's what Len had decided to do. If his bike swerved a few times or other motorists cursed him as he rode his motorcycle towards the familiar destination, that was purely circumstantial. Situational. Whatever.

He smirked to himself as the back entrance swung open for him. Even when he was just past the wrong side of buzzed, he could get past Cisco's security protocol. So, technically, he was doing them all a favor by breaking in at two in the morning because he was testing their weaknesses. Heroes always forget the backdoor. He giggled to himself then slapped a hand over his mouth. He had a bad habit of acting like a stupid teenager when he drank too much tequila instead of sticking to his normal vodka. His buzz was starting to wear off as he made his way through the dark hallways, trying to compose in his the right heist to finally draw out the Flash. Something bigger and bolder, he supposed. It was then that he heard the muffled sobs that only got louder as he approached the main "lair" as he thought of it. The sight that greeted him made him pause, a cold seeping into his veins and the remaining buzz evaporating almost completely.

Central City's hero was on the ground crying his eyes out, the hospital-style blankets twisted and tangled around his legs and a shattered glass that had spread water all over the kid next to him. Len couldn't form a rational response for what felt like hours. Suddenly Barry looked up at him, and a look that Len never thought he'd see on that face crossed Barry's features.

Pure, unadulterated, soul-shattering fear. 

That's what Barry looked at Len with. And if Len had been more sober, he probably would have reacted faster to the situation. Or, not broken into the labs in the first place. That's what sober Len would have done. But still-somewhat-buzzed-Len was horrified that Barry was directing such emotion at him.

"Whoa, kid, I'm not here to fight. See?" Len opened his coat and spun around, showing that he was unarmed. "No weapons, no goggles, just me."

Barry remained silent, just watching him, but his tears continued to fall down his face. Len took a chance and moved a bit closer, just out of arms reach, before sitting on the ground, careful not to sit in any water.

"What's going on, Barry?"

"How...how did you..." Barry choked back a hysterical laugh. "Of course you figured it out, you always figure it out."

"Figured what out? Why are you here alone? Are you hurt?" Len's voice was colored with more concern than he meant to show, but less than he felt. He still blamed the alcohol. Barry gave a strange look. Like he was trying to figure something out. "Where's your _team_?"

"The Arrow needed Cisco's help in Starling, and I just...I needed to be alone for a night. I yelled at everyone, made them leave," Barry sniffled and wiped his eyes while also trying to prop himself up with his other hand. He gestured at the glass and general mess he had caused. "But I can't be alone. I have definitely proven that I can't be alone even for a night."

"Back up, Barry. What the hell are you talking about?" Len asked. He had definitely missed something. Barry sighed.

"Did you...have you seen the footage of Zoom dragging me around like a rag doll?" Barry's voice was suddenly bitter. Len nodded. "He...he damaged my spine."

"Are you paralyzed?" Len asked bluntly, but not unkindly, but not with pity. Barry almost smiled at Len's bluntness as it was kind of refreshing after having his friends walk around on eggshells since Zoom happened. Barry's gaze turned pleading.

"Are you going to do something to me?" Barry's voice gained an edge of hysteria. "I know you, you wouldn't-"

"Relax, Flash," Len said with his usual smugness. "Where's the fun in going after you now? We'll have plenty of time once you heal."

Barry let himself relax, and realized that he was still in the water, and he was twisted in such a way that it couldn't be good for his muscles. Len, seeming to understand Barry's thoughts, hesitantly scooted a little closer and began to untangle Barry from the sheets, using the same level of precision and care that Barry liked to imagine he used with his cold gun. When Barry was finally free, Len looked around and found some of the extra hospital gowns for Barry to change into. it was only as he returned with a mop and the gown that he realized he would probably have to help Barry change. And that he had just left the kid laying in a pool of water. He was too sober for this. Barry looked at him with trust that Len hadn't earned when he spoke again.

"If you could...maybe...pick me up and put me back in the bed. As long as you're careful..." Barry trailed off. He looked over in the corner where Caitlin had stashed a wheelchair. He had practiced getting in and out of it a few times, but it felt wrong to him. Len let out a long-suffering sigh before smirking.

"Hang on, my damsel in distress," Len said as he reached down and gently picked Barry up.

He placed his nemesis on the bed gently and held up the new gown. Barry blushed scarlet but held out his hands for it. Len helped him sit up and untied the ties before pulled the wet gown away from him. He dried Barry off with a dry corner of the old gown and then helped Barry tie the new one in the back. Barry was uncharacteristically quiet, and Len was unnerved by how still he was. When Barry was finally laying back on his pillows, Len pulled up a chair and sat by the bed.

"So...thanks for all this, Snart," Barry said, yawning through the thanks. "Sorry I was such a mess."

"Yes, apologize to the thief who had a few drinks and decided to break into Star Labs just to leave a note for the Flash to tell him to come after me," Len smirked at the disbelief in Barry's eyes. "No one will ever believe you."

Barry chuckled and looked down at his hands where they were twisted in his lap.

"Why are you helping me? Or you know, not even gloating?" Barry asked, still avoiding Len's eyes. "I was basically gift-wrapped for you. Emotional breakdown, paraplegic..."

"Despite what you may think of me, I'm not actually a cold hearted monster. I'm a thief. There's a distinct difference."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Barry decided to confess his deepest fear. He wasn't sure why he chose to confide in his enemy. Oliver would probably shoot him again, injured or not.

"I don't know if it's permanent," Barry whispered. "I can't...I can't feel my legs. At all. It hasn't gotten better. I have a lot of physical therapy in my future."

"You know, it's not the end of the world," Len shrugged. "As much as I hate to admit it, even before the Flash, Barry Allen the CSI had potential, as bleeding-heart as he may be."

Barry considered this. Even if he was in a wheel chair, he still had his mind. His friends. His job. He could be a forensic scientist still. It wasn't quite the same, but he still loved his day job. Len seemed unbearably smug at the way he made Barry think. 

"Get some sleep, Flash."

"Please, don't tell anyone," Barry pleaded. Snart just smirked at him. 

"Tell them what?" Len turned off the lights. "Sleep, Barry."

"Fine, fine," Barry waved him off.

Len ignored the weird looks he got from Lisa when he returned. Alone, much to her chagrin. The Flash was hurt. The fastest man alive might never walk again. Len sighed internally. His absence would eventually be noticed, and meta humans would certainly come out of the woodwork now, he was sure of it. And in the absence of the hero, Len foresaw himself having some extra competition.

Peachy.

 


	2. Chapter 2

_Look at your hero._

_This man is no god._

Barry woke to a silent room that was no longer empty. Cisco sat beside his bed with a look on his face akin to that of a mother about to scold their child for playing in the mud.

"So."

"So?" Barry replied, his voice still thick and growly with sleep. Cisco just raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously. What?"

"Did you know that I had your vitals hooked up to my tablet?" Cisco asked casually. "And that a little past two this morning you died?"

"Oh, um..."

"Don't  _oh, um_  me, Barry Allen. I rushed all the way back to Central City just to find you tucked into bed with every lead disconnected and Caitlin trying to restrain herself from beating you to death," Cisco pointed at the ceiling where a camera was positioned. "I checked the video feed after I got everything back in place and talked Caitlin down from the ledge. Did you realize she called Joe?  _And_  Iris?  _And_  Felicity?"

"What? Why did she call them?" Barry sat up gingerly, allowing Cisco to help him as the pain of his spinal cord trying to heal flooded him again.

"Nevermind! Why was  _he_  here?" Cisco asked, emphasizing  _he_ as if talking about something particularly disgusting. Barry stared at Cisco like a deer in headlights. Cisco just waited Barry out.

"I don't know why he was here, honestly," Barry said finally. It was true. Sure Snart had told him he wanted to break in for attention, but it seemed like a weak excuse coming from someone so organized. Cisco squinted at him as if trying to determine the truth of Barry's words. Seemingly satisfied, he handed Barry a cup of coffee and leaned in secretively.

"Don't tell Caitlin I'm giving you coffee. She's sleeping on the cot in her office."

Barry was on a strict diet, one that he was pretty sure was just an overreaction on Caitlin's part. He sipped the coffee slowly, savoring it and avoiding Cisco's judging glare. Finally, Cisco gave up and went into the main lab to tinker with whatever new thing he had taken interest in. Caitlin eventually entered the room with dark circles under her eyes and a messy ponytail on top of her head. The borrowed Star Labs sweats hung off her frame.

"What the hell Barry!" She hissed. Barry was about to defend to himself when she gathered him into an awkward but sincere hug. Barry squeezed her back, and felt tears pricking in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Barry whispered. Caitlin nodded against him, her hair tickling his nose. 

"I know, I am too," Caitlin sighed as she pulled away, sliding her hand down to grip Barry's. "I know I've been overbearing but I can't...I can't stop."

"I know," Barry squeezed her hand. "So. When do I start therapy?"

* * *

_"Explosions have rocked Central City for two days, injuring dozens and killing two. No one has taken credit yet for these attacks, and the city has been waiting in fear for the next attack. Citizens are wondering, where is the Flash? There has been no sign of the Scarlet Speedster for two months, and in that time crime has slowly increased. Where is the Flash?"_

Joe sighed and turned off the TV.

"Why do you watch this stuff, Barry?" Joe sat heavily in the chair next to Barry's bed. He was still staying at Star Labs, but Caitlin had finally judged him healed enough to remove the heart monitor and other machines. Barry shrugged, not meeting his eyes.

"I need to know what's happening."

Joe looked at Barry silently for awhile and Barry pointedly looked at his hands. Barry's eyes were haunted, and his posture was slumped. Defeated.

"Nerves don't regrow, you know. Brain tissue and nerves don't really heal," Barry said after awhile. "I looked it up."

"I know."

* * *

Len was fuming. Mick had hounded him for hours to do another heist until Len snapped and stormed out of the safehouse to cool off. Without the Flash to stop him, the thrill of a perfectly executed plan had diminished. Len had always prided himself on his ability to improvise, something the Flash brought out in him. The rush of fighting his nemesis was what kept him going now.

"Leonard Snart."

Len stopped in his tracks. He knew that voice. A whoosh of air and a sickening turn of his stomach marked the trademark snatch-and-grab style of a speedster. But this time, instead of a slight case of vertigo Len had to forcibly contain his nausea. It was the same wooded area on the outskirt of Central City that Barry seemed to favor.

"Zoom, how nice to meet face to...face," Len said as he turned, taking in the terrifying visage. He was gratified to find that his voice held its usual smirk and confidence. "I'm flattered."

"You are the Flash's enemy."

"He certainly enjoys the theatrics as much as I do," Len replied dryly. Zoom studied him for a minute, his coal black eyes boring deep into Len's. The blue lightning crackled around him, the intensity hurting Len's eyes, but he refused to look away. To show weakness. He had learned at a young age what happened when he showed weakness to a monster.

"You do not have powers," Zoom said finally. Len raised an eyebrow.

"No."

"Then you are of no use to me," Zoom raised his clawed hand and it vibrated into a blur. As it neared Len's throat at a teasingly slow pace, Len reached into his coat and pulled out the cold gun. Zoom paused.

"I may not have powers, but I know this gun can stop Flash cold. Wonder what it could do to you," Len smirked at his pun. He did love a good pun. Zoom cocked his head to the side. 

"You would threaten the fastest man in the world, with a toy," Zoom made a sound that Len assumed was laughter. Creepy, creepy laughter. "You may be useful to me yet."

"I fail to see how."

"Killing the Flash would benefit you as well as me," Zoom lowered his hand. "You will kill the Flash."

"Now why would I want to do that? He keeps my competition out of my way," Len shrugged. Zoom narrowed his eyes.

"You must choose, then," Zoom leaned in close, invading Len's personal space. Len narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Do I kill you first? Or should I make you watch your sister suffer?"

Len fired, the absolute zero beam shooting harmlessly into the tree behind where Zoom had been standing. Zoom was already gone.


	3. Chapter 3

To say that Joe West was a hard man to surprise was a bit of an understatement. Many years as a cop, then a detective, had mostly inured him to what the world had to offer. But apparently, the world took his unflappable nature as a challenge.

For example, coming home to see Lenard Snart leaning casually against his kitchen counter was a surprise.

Joe reached for his gun only to pause when he noticed the lack of the parka and cold gun. Snart stared him down with an amused expression that was equally familiar as it was annoying.

"Don't shoot, I come in peace," Snart mockingly raised his arms halfway before dropping back into his relaxed posture. Joe looked at his watch, noting the single digit morning hour, and sighed.

"What do you want? I'm tired, I'm overworked, and I know you know about Barry. What?" Joe asked flatly, shouldering roughly past Snart to get to his fridge for a beer. Screw the hour. He needed one.

"A mutual acquaintance made me offer," Snart said casually, his eyes belying his fury. "Kill the Flash, or watch my sister's murder."

"Zoom," Joe confirmed. Snart nodded, and pushed off the counter to stand at his full height. "You are Flash's enemy."

"The Flash is a nuisance on a good day. Zoom has made himself my ' _enemy'_ ," Snart air-quoted. "So it seems we have a mutual problem."

"What's your point?" Joe sighed as he sat heavily on one of the barstool at the counter. "You want to join the team? Be a good guy? I have a hard time believing that."

"You aren't wrong. I'm not a hero. But I make a hell of a bodyguard."

Joe started to protest, but the words wouldn't come to him. 

"Can you guarantee that Barry will be safer from Zoom while he recovers without my help?" Snart asked pointedly. "I like this city. It's my home. Having a monster destroy it is not my idea of victory."

"You seem pretty certain that the Flash will run again."

Snart studied that man that had raised Barry Allen. He looked older than his years, his eyes tired and creased at the edges and gray streaks colored his hair. He had seen much. He couldn't help but wonder how Joe would have reacted to Lewis Snart if he had been on the force at the time.

"Someone needs to be."


	4. Chapter 4

Len was a patient man.

Sometimes.

He was patient during his jobs, counting the seconds carefully and accurately until the exact moment arrived for him to strike. He was patient when his sister called him to come pick her up when she ran away with a fake I.D. to get drunk with her idiot friends. He was patient when waited in prison for that same sister to break him out. He was somewhat patient when Mick refused to leave the bar after his many beers.

He was not, however, patient when fully grown speedsters decided to pout for three days instead of do their physical therapy. Barry had managed to whine his way out of it for three days now and it was driving his friends crazy. Crazy enough that he got a curt call from Cisco telling him to "Get your ass over here. You want to help? You get suffer with the rest of us."

So here he was. One of Central City's greatest villains, stuck babysitting the city's greatest hero. A hero who was, understandably in Len's opinion, upset by the seeming slow progress he was making towards regaining mobility. Understandable, yes, to be upset, depressed, a myriad of emotions. However Len also knew that the only reason Barry was allowed to wallow was because his friends didn't want to hurt his feelings. Len had no such compunctions. After an hour of watching Barry snap at Caitlyn and refuse to even try moving on his own, Len had seen enough. It wasn't that he felt particularly attached to the doctor, and he knew she didn't trust him. But he wasn't actually made of ice. Seeing her so close to snapping and saying regrettable things forced his hand.

"Get your coat, we're going out," Len said sternly. Caitlyn and Cisco looked ready to protest, but Joe was watching him with interest. Barry scoffed at him.

"I'm not going anywhere with you and you can't make me. Who said you need to be here at all?" Barry spat, his hands fisting the blankets on the bed. Len raised an eyebrow.

* * *

 

"Where are we going?" Barry asked for the twenty third time since Len had placed him in the borrowed van.

"I told you," Len replied evenly. "We're going somewhere away from the friends you seem so keen to piss off."

"I can't be seen in a wheelchair! If I heal-" Barry cut himself off. He hadn't meant to say if. Len noticed the pause, of course he noticed, and let it slide. Barry sighed. The sign welcoming them to the next city flew by the window and Barry looked around at only somewhat familiar surroundings. The rain started soon after, hard enough to require caution but not too heavy to be blinding. Len turned the radio on low, and Barry fell asleep.

"Barry. Barry.  _Barry!_ " Len shook the other man awake. "We're here. Come on."

Barry managed to pulled himself into the chair with less effort than it used to take, and rolled himself along without Len's un-offered assistance. Dr. Wells' wheelchair had been left barren back at Star Labs. Too many bad memories. Len walked with purpose, but never too fast for Barry to keep up. He looked around as they went, surprised to find that they were heading to an Aquarium.

"Really?" Barry was amazed. "I haven't thought about this place in years."

Len had to fight not to smile genuinely at the pure glee in Barry's face. It wouldn't do for him to break character. He settled for a customary smirk instead. Barry wheeled himself up the ramp to the front doors easily, chattering away about how the big banner over the front door advertised the new amphibian exhibit that was only there for a year. And did Len know this random fact about amphibians? Or that random fact?

No, Len did not know. But the enthusiasm with which he spoke, and the small crowd of children with their parents that gathered around him as he spoke , made the subject seem much more interesting. Barry answered childish questions with great seriousness, never belittling or mocking a strange question. The parents seemed relieved, a break from constantly chasing their children as the bright-eyed man in the wheelchair made science sound cool. After most of the tiny audience had wandered off in search of the penguins or sharks or whatever, one small girl asked one last question.

"Why are you sitting?"

Barry waved off her mother's apologies and Len's step forward.

"I got hurt," Barry answered simply, a sad smile on his face. The girl pondered this for a moment.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know, I hope so," Barry said quietly, and let the girl leave with her mom. Len followed Barry around, looking at the big glass fish bowls and listening to random facts about pufferfish and electric eels. Then they reached the penguins. And Len regretted his life choices.

"I'm not going to steal you a penguin."

"Come on! It could be for you! You have so much in common! You both like it cold," Barry teased. Len refused to roll his eyes. It would just give Barry all the more satisfaction. The fat little birds dove and twirled around them, and Barry managed to make one follow his hand back and forth where he dragged it against the glass.

"Let's go," Len sighed. Barry grinned up at him and moved along at the barely concealed annoyance in his eyes.

"Aw yes shark petting! Joe let me and Iris do that once when we were kids," Barry looked down at his legs, but he was lost in thought, a fond smile playing about his lips. Len felt no such nostalgia. His own family life rarely included trips to aquariums or museums unless Lewis wanted to steal something.

* * *

Barry slept all the way back to the West home, and Len amused himself with seeing how many of the (stolen, of course) post-it notes decorated with pictures of various sealife he could stick on his passenger without waking him. Childish, yes, much more so than the jail-time pranks Mick would occasionally pull on unlucky prisoners. But he figured Barry would appreciate the innocence of the prank. Usually Mick's pranks ended in a hospital visit. Predictably, when Barry was forced to wake up again, he merely sent the thief a poisonous glare before leading him into the kitchen where he pulled out silverware for the takeout Len had purchased while he was still sleeping. They ate in silence with the television on in the background, the news reporting a city on the verge of panic over the explosions in the past weeks.

"It hurts, you know," Barry broke the silence. "My back."

"Snow may have mentioned it, yes," Len agreed. Barry sighed. 

"I just...I don't know why I'm such a dick to them," Barry set down his third (fourth?) empty food container, not a lo mein noodle left. Len shrugged.

"You don't to let them down after they put so much effort into your therapy so why even get their hopes up," Len stated, still eating. Barry stared at him, trying out the scenario in his head.

"Maybe..."

"Or...maybe you think you deserve to be this way because you failed," Len said more bluntly. Barry shuddered. His enemy really knew how to read people, a byproduct no doubt of having to evolve to survive his childhood. "It's not your fault."

"I don't believe that."

"I know you don't. You probably never will," Len shrugged casually. "Maybe you should cut yourself some slack. You've been approaching this...situation, with the goal of recovering for the sake of everyone around you. Maybe you should consider thinking purely about what you want. Do you want to walk again?"

Barry didn't answer. Len threw away the empty takeout boxes and let Barry show him the guest bedroom. An awkward moment passed where Barry hesitated outside the door, with an equally awkward exchange of "goodnights" to follow. Len looked around the room, taking in the few photos on the dresser, the extra clothes on the bed that Iris must have laid out  when he called ahead and explained that Barry needed to stay home for at least one night. It was more than a house, a collection of rooms and possessions. This was a home.

* * *

Barry screamed.

_Burning burning burningburningburningburning_

Footsteps pounded down the hallway and Joe burst into the room, still in the clothes he wore to work, followed shortly by Len. Barry was already in his foster father's arms when Len managed to clear his mind past  _get to Barry_. Barry was screaming and whimpering, and Joe was desperately trying to calm him, wincing when Barry managed to hit him with one flailing arm.

"What the hell did you do?" Joe hissed at him. Len held his hands up in surrender. 

"Nothing! He was fine a few hours ago!"

Barry suddenly stilled when the pain receded to a throb, his brow sweaty and eyes glassy.

"Dad?"

"Barry, what's wrong?" Joe asked, clutching him tightly.

"My...my back-" Barry cried out as pain flared again. "My legs-are on fire-it hurts!"

"Call Caitlyn! Right now!" Joe ordered. Len was already on the phone.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Len wasn't sure how he ended up on Barry babysitting duty so often, but this night he was glad for the speedster's company. Mick was laying low after an "incident" and Lisa had vanished, not even telling Len where she was. If Zoom wanted to find Lisa, he had his work cut out for him and Len was pretty certain the monster had better things to do.

"...and then he fainted during the autopsy video we had to watch and that was the last time anyone made fun of me," Barry finished his story about the college bully in his introduction forensics class at university. He looked incredibly proud, if still in pain. Len couldn't help the chuckle he let out.

"Even college kids are assholes," Len shrugged. "Guess it's good I never went."

"I've been meaning to ask about that, actually," Barry said, wincing as he tried to resettle on the sofa. He was largely unsuccessful. "You are obviously brilliant with engineering and strategy. Why didn't you go to college?"

"Kid, when you live the life I did, your priorities are a little different," Len answered. He thought back to his first job, the way the money he made mostly went to supporting his father's various addictions until he got better at hiding it. Barry mulled this over, his eyes slightly unfocused. Len felt bad for him. Super-healing or not, Barry hadn't been able to sleep for any meaningful amount of time with the severe pain in his legs and back. He had started hallucinating voices, which led to him talking almost incessantly to distract himself.

"I feel like we wouldn't have gotten along in high school. I get the feeling you were broody tough kid, leather jacket and an attitude that said 'don't mess with me' and kids like me avoided you more than the jocks," Barry teased. Len rolled his eyes.

"Ancient history, Barry," Len smiled faintly at the memories. "If you must know, I wasn't in high school long enough to have a reputation. I got my first job when I was fifteen and the boss paid me in cash."

"Maybe you would have been a goth. You do know what that is right?" Barry asked with a glint in his eyes. Len glared at him.

"Exactly how old do you think I am?"

"I don't want to answer that until I can run away again," Barry yawned, the ever present exhaustion rearing its head again. 

"Try to sleep."

"Stop watching me, it's weird," Barry mumbled as he pulled himself into a horizontal position on the sofa to sleep. He probably could have made it upstairs with Lens help but he didn't want to ask. Len turned out the lights and went to the kitchen to find something to eat. Joe had made it clear that he wasn't a guest, he was a guard, but Barry had told him to help himself to anything he wanted. Who was he to say no?

* * *

"Len!"

The thief turned around so fast he almost gave himself whip lash. He grabbed the cold gun and made his way back to the living room. Barry had only been alone for an hour. As soon as Len reached the room, he froze in place.

Barry was standing.

He was  _standing._

 


End file.
